Rural mail box



Apr. 17, 1923;

JEWETT, JR

RURAL MAIL BOX Filed. June 15,192? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. r) .E Jinazg' d: v

A TTORNEY.

Apr. 17, 1923. 1,451,876

J. R. JEWETT, JR

RURAL MAIL Box- Filed. June 13, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 1% u A an? INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented apr. l7, "i923.

tiif ii ltilii.

JOHN R. JEWETT, JR, OF WOOD RIVER, NEBRASKA.

sneer. MAIL Box. i

Application filed June 13, 1921. Serial No. 476,971.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jena .3. JnwE-r'r, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wood River, in the county of l lall and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rural Mail Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail boxes and is particularly designed for filling the practlcal needs of boxes used in rural mail delivery. p

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a rural mail box constructed and equipped to receive letters and parcels of all sizes from both the postman and sender with manually-operated indication to impart any desired information about such mail to the collector thereof.

A further object is the connection of the usual elevated flag indicating the deposit of mail in the box with the door in such manner as to insure the lowering of the flag when the deposited mail is removed, thereby preventing the annoyance of false indication with its attendant unnecessary visits to the box.

A further object is the arrangement on the inside of the door of the box of semiautomatic indicating means for-informing the collector of mail of the desires of the sender concerning the method of delivery in conjunction with fastening means for retaining money intended for payment of postage or purchase of additional stamps.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views- In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my improved mail box in position for use; Fig. 2 is a vertical. central section therethrough; Fig. 3, i and 5 are detailed sectional views taken substantially on the lines 83, i-4.- and 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the door of the box when in opened post tion, and Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed sectional views taken respectively on the lines 7--7 and 8--8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates'a box casing preferably formed of sheet metal galvanized or painted for protection against the weather, and formed with its sides, floor, roof and one end wall firmly fastened together with watertlght o1nts, as by riveting or soldering. The other end wall is formed with an upper portion 6 secured to the roof of the casing and a lower portion pivoted adjacent its bottom to form a door '2' for the introduction of parpels and the removal of any mail placed into the box. Letters may be inserted into the box through a slot 8 in the portion 6 without opening the door, this slot being normally covered by a hinged flap 9 for protection against the elements. A handle 10 is provided for ease in opening the door 7 and connection is made from the door to the flag signaling device 11 to insure lowering of the flag whenever the door is opened. This connection comprises the rod 12 pivoted at one end to the inside of the door and at the other end to the slide 13 mounted for longitudinal movement in brackets 14E secured to the side wall of the casing 5. A slot formed in the side wall limits the travel of the slide and rod. An

outwardly-extending lug 15 on the slide 13 move such mail the slide 13 is moved for- Wardly by the rod 12 and the lug 15 thereon swings the flag downwardly during the travel of the slide. A suitable stop, as 18,

supports the flag in its lowered position. As

herein shown, the stop 18 is bent outwardly and then upwardly to provide a hanger for parcels while a similar hook 19 is provided adjacent the lower edge of the casing 5 to receive parcels too bulky to be placed inside the box.

To impart to the postman all information relative to the method of delivery desired for the mail left in the box for collection. as whether a letter is to be registered orprov ded with a special delivery stamp, I provide a, convenient semi-automatic indicator on the inner face of the door 7. As herein shown, this comprises a pivoted hand 20 Qsee Fig. 6) adapted to register with a dial 110 21. having graduations marked with the various styles of delivery for letters or parcels,

as epecial Delivery, C. O. D, Insured, etc.,

and also with graduations marked to desigmate the number and denominations of stamps desired to be purchased. When-the sender places a letter or parcel in the box he turns the hand 20 to register with the desired graduation on the dial 21, the hand being held by friction wherever set. To firmly secure the money simultaneously placed for payment of postage I provide a spring clip 22 to receive paper money, clasping it between the face of the door and the (ii p, and for the retention oi metal coins a pair of spring clips 23 with their free ends upturned and engaging each other (asv shown in Fig. 7). The upper edges of the clips 23 flare outwardly and a coin. inserted between the edges will be clasped between. theupturned end portions.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that l have provided a mail box well-adapted to satisfy the needs of rural delivery and collection boxes. The postman may readily insert letters through the slot- 801" parcels by opening the door 7, or if the parcels are too large for the interior of the box they may be hung upon the hooks 18 or 19 upon the side of ti e box. He then swings the flag l1 upright to signal the deposit of mail. When the owner visits the ,box in response to the signal the act of "s the flag, thereby obviating any forgetting to lower the flag with a consequent useless trip to the box later. hen a letter or parcel is placed in the box for collection by the postman, he may indicate on the dial 22 exactly how he desires such mail forwarded and may safely leave coins or bills to pay for the postage, or additional stamps may be purchased with assurance that the postman will understand his wants.

While it will be apparent that the illus trated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change opening the door 7 automatically lo within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

including a rod pivoted to the door, and a slide connected with the rod and adapted to engage the flag.

2. '9; rural mail box comprising casing, a door hinged thereto, a flag to signal decasing,

posits of mail in the box pivoted to the easmg, a connection between the door and flag to lower the flag when the door is opened, including a rod pivoted at one end to the door, a slide mounted on the casing and pivotally connected to the other end of the rod, and a lug on the slide arranged to Contact the Hag when in elevated position.

3. A rural mail box comprising a casing, a door hinged thereto, a iiag to signal deposits oi? mail in the box pivoted to the connection between the door and flag to lower the flag when the door is opened, including a rod pivoted at one end to the door, a slide mounted on the casing and pivotally connected to the other end of the red, the c sing having a slot in which the rod travels and a. lug on the slide arranged to contact the flag when in elevated position.

A rural mail box Comprising a casing, a door hinged thereto, a flag to signal deposits of mail in the box pivoted to the casing, a spring clip lixed on the casing to releasably hold the in elevated position, a connection between the door and flag to lower the ilag when the door is opened, including a rod pivoted at one end. to the door, slide mounted on the casing and pivotally connected to the other end of the rod, and a lug on the slide arranged to contact the flag when in elevated'position.

11 rural mail box comprising a casing, a door hinged thereto for deposit and removal oi mail. and means on said door for indicating to the postman the desired form delivery of deposited mail, including a dial on the door having graduations bearing indicia for the various forms of delivery, and quantit and denominations of stamps to be purchased an index hand pivoted on said door and turnable to any of such graduations, and clips fixed on the door to hold money for payment oi postage. I

6. A. rural mail box comprising a casing, a door hinged thereto for deposit and removal of mail, and means on said door for indicating to the postman the desired number and denomination of stamps to be purchased, including a dad on the door having graduations for various numbers and denominations oi" stamps, an index hand movably mounted on said door to register With an; of such graduations, and'olips on said 

